((Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride, or any of the characters in this book. They all still belong to James Patterson, well, they still did when I last checked. Enjoy!

But I do own the plots, so PLEASE respect this story and the author and don't steal the plot(s).))

Chapter 11: Not Again!

"You alright man? Does this happen all the time?"

"No, put but it this way: we're used to it." Max sat down with me, moving my hair out of my eyes. Normally I would have pushed it back, gave her a killer look and punched her or something. I felt so weak. I didn't even have the energy to speck. Max knew there was something wrong when I didn't do anything. I watched a pie of ants move around for a bit, feeling vulnerable. I wanted to get up, but the more I pushed myself, the harder it became. I accidentally let a small whimper of defeat through my lips. Damn stupid stomach bug. Angel frowned at me. I stared back, wanting to get up.

"Max, is he going to be ok?" Nudge moved closer, but slowly as if she was afraid I was contagious. Maybe I was. Suddenly I got a wave of energy. Unfortunately it was the third wave of breakfast, so I quickly moved to the side so I wouldn't cover Max in it. Her hand flew to my back again, and she rubbed warm circles underneath my wings.

"what's wrong Fang?" Max spoke softly, more to her self then to me. I sighed. Did I really have to answer that? How would I know what the heck I've got? I could be dieing and I wouldn't know! Ahh, so annoying!

I heard Jazz approach us carefully.

"Is he ok Max?" I felt Max hold, but I was still bending down, trying hard not to throw up again.

"I don't know Jazz. I won't get any sense ou-" Let's just say I lost the lost battle to try not to barf. Again Max's hand flew to my back, rubbing warm circles.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled through my sleeve, not looking her in the eye. But still, I was good at that. Her hand stay glued to my back. It actually helped a little, but she wasn't going to find that out.

"Hmm. Maybe I could go down to the medical centre, find out what could be wrong. You can all stay here." I watched Max's expression change from a frown to a small smile.

"You'll do that for us?" Jazz nodded, looking away, embarrassed.

"Thanks, I o- Oh God!" I frowned in frustration as I held my stomach. Had someone just kicked me with a steel-cap boot?

"Fang! Are you ok?" Max was here again, holding me. I realized I was doubled over so I stood up.

"No, I'm fine. It's only a little sore." A lie. I knew and, unfortunately, so did Max.

"Fang, for you to double over and say 'Oh God,' it's not 'a little sore,' ok? Now-" Another wave of pain hit me, rippling through my body. It came back worse then before. I had a feel it would keep coming, getting worse every time.

"Hey, at least he's stopped puking everywhere." I frowned at Iggy. Then I remembered Max, and her so called 'food poisoning.' What did we do for that? Sleep it off? Sleep it off! That's it!

"I'll go now ok?" I heard Jazz say and I heard he's departure.

"Max-" I broke off. My voice was really bad. I looked around to see everyone watching we, worried. Even Max had a worried expression on her face. I straitened up and realized Max was still clinging to my waist. I noticed I had grown another inch higher then her.

"Max, I'll sleep it off, like you did." She lessened her grip but didn't let go fully. Then suddenly I realized what she was doing. She was holding me up, in cause I collapsed. I frowned at her, but she didn't see it. Or didn't what to, which was more likely.

Then the third wave hit me, and oh jeez it hurt. Stabbing pain? Wrong. It felt like I'd just been run over. By a truck.

"Ahh! Shit!" I kinda yelled in Max's ear, but I was seeing spots. This was really starting to get up my nose.

"Fang! Are- What can I do?" Smart move Max. Um, lets see…kill me! Angel gasped and ran to my side, clearly thinking I was for real.

"Max," I whispered to her, and sunk to the ground. I didn't what to, my stupid knees just gave way. "It freakin' hurts." She realized that it was worse then she thought. I never said that. I

wasn't weak.

"How bad?" She changed into the leader we'd all seen in action.

"Um, of the- Ahhh!" Wow, that was a loud scream. I screamed! God help me. What was wrong with me. Oh, oh. Tunnel vision. No. Not again. Keep your eyes open Fang! Thinking to yourself doesn't get you anywhere.

"Fang?" And then I sorta just fell forward, seeing black.

I tried opening my eyes but the light binded me. I groaned, then frowned to myself. Idiot. It's bad enough that I was on the ground in pain, but I had to go and moan.

"Fang? Oh God Fang, you really scared me. Please, don't do that again. I can't lose you ok? I know you can't hear me, and I'm possibly wasting my breath, but I want to tell you something. Fang?" I stirred again, drawing her attention to me.

"What happened?" I kept my eyes closed from the light. Stupid light. Couldn't it be freaking

dark?

"What? I couldn't understand you. You sound like you're underwater or something." I could have strangled Max. But she gave good massages, so she got off it pretty easily. Then I realized how I was lying. And why it sounded like I was underwater. I was lying face-first in the dirt and grass. Bloody heck. I turned, slowly, and sat up. Too fast. My head span as Max wriggled closer.

"Hey, you ok?" She said it, just as she had said those things just before, gently. Not like leader Max. She was kind Max now, putting on a different face. Then as I turned towards her voice, eyes only partly open, I realized she was a lot closer then I had thought. Suddenly, as I was still trying to figure everything out, her lips found mine. And to my horror/disgust/happiness/confusedness (is that even a word?), I kissed her back. Her hand was on the back of my head as she leant forward a little. Then she feel on me, and my stupidly fragile stomach.

"Ahhh!" I screamed in her ear, sending her 6 foot in the sky.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry! Are you ok? No, of course you're not ok! I just sat on you!" But I could see in her eye's she was pleased. Not from sitting on me anyway. I'll let you figure it out. Good luck.

Then I saw Jazz in the corner of my eye. I froze. What the heck had he seen? How long had Max kissed me for anyway? I was panting for breath. I noticed she was too. But she was peering intently at me, which kinda creeped me out a little.

"Nah, it's cool Max." She grinned at me, relived.

"Now, where was I?" She lent forward again. I don't believe it! This is a real Max? Or was this her clone? I hope not. If I'm going to kiss Max, I want it to be the real one.

"Fang?" I turned around to see Jazz watching me. I could've wet myself. Hey! I said could've! I heard Max get up and walk away from us, hearing Angel call her name. I watched her take off.

"Yeah?" I must admit, I was kinda of scared of what he would say.

"You and Max are good for each other. She needs you. And you need her." My eyes tightened. First he was watching us as we made out-that made my heart skip a little. Stupid thing. And now he was telling me who I 'need?'

"I mean, you should look after her. Give her the support she needs."

"She's Max. Max doesn't need any support that I know of."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah," I stood up. Then thought better off it and sat back down again.

"You're wrong Fang. She's really struggling to keep it together for the flock. She was worried sick about you last night. Didn't you hear her crying?" I don't know why that hurt, but it did. It hit me like a tram, right where it hurt most. I stuffed back a gasp. Max was crying? Jazz saw my face.

"How do you know this Jazz?" He wasn't like us. No wings, no skills. He was just a normal guy.

"Because I can read her emotions. I see what she's feeling. What you're all feeling. Fang, I'm like you." I frowned at him. This was getting weird.

"Whata mean?" I tilted my head at him.

"I was an experiment at the school. I was there just before you excaped. You never saw me because I was a high-risk patient. Yeah, I've got wings Fang." I gasped again. This guy had wings? Then he unfurled them. They were bigger then mine, probably about 15 foot. They were pitch black, also like mine. They looked purple in the sun. I unfurled mine to. Sure enough, the also looked purple in the sun.

"Wow. Their, like, the same." I nodded, looking at my wings, then at Jazz's. Suddenly we heard Max and Angel. I caught Jazz's eye as he folded his wings. He gave me a 'just-our-little-secret look. I nodded and sat back down again. I was still feeling a little woozy, but man, I was hungry. I looked up at Max as my stomach rumbled. I closed my mouth, point made. She rasied an eyebrow, but she was all happy. Oh God, what had I done? Should I have kissed her back, or was that going to turn out to be a mistake? Great. The suspense in it. Max saw my face.

"Hey, you ok? Come on Fang, lighten up! You survived. Hey! I should get him a shirt that says

'I had a brain attack thing and I survived!'" I've created a monster.

"I didn't have a brain attack Max. It was a…I don't know."

"Hey, Jazz, where'd you put that medicine.

"Over there, in that backpack." Max nodded and headed towards the pack. Medicine? No, no, no.

"Max, I'm fine ok? I don't need the medicine." Nudge came over and rested her hand on my arm.

"His not scared as such, but he doesn't like medicine."

"It reminds him of the School," Angel added in. Thank you for telling the world everything that goes on inside my head.

"That's ok Fang. Sorry." I glared down at her. "Hey! You've grown!"

I raised an eyebrow.